countenance• Fabricators will try to make their accountwatertight and will not countenance accepting any blame.• Yet the irreligious Jinnah wanted two religious states, while the religious Gandhi would countenance only a unitedsecular state.• This has resulted in a deadlock where neither side will countenance providing an amnesty for the other for crimes against humanity.• Would he really countenance such a daftproposal?• He said that he would not countenance such an attack, and ordered Clark to call it off.• How could I possibly countenance such thoughts?• In no way will we countenanceterrorism in order to advance our cause.Origincountenance1(1200-1300)Old Frenchcontenance“behavior”, from Latincontinentia“holding back from doing what you want, continence”, from continere; → CONTAIN